Pyrotechnic helmet



(No Model.) l

- C. B. ROG-KWOOD.

4PYB.0IEGE{1\TIG HELMET.

No. 387,657. Patented Aug. 14, 1888.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES B. ROCKVOOD, OF KEYSTONE, MINNESOTA.

PYRoTi-:CHNIC HELMET.

SPEIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 387,657, dated August 14, 18n8'8.

Application tiled April 4, 1888. Serial Noi).

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, CHARLES B. RocKwooD, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Keystone, county of Polk, State of Minnesota, have invented a certain new and useful Pyrotechnic Helmet, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates more particularly to means of obtaining novel pyrotechnic effects in street or public political parades or other or- ,ganizations It consists iu the construction hereinafter described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

ln the drawings, like letters referring to like parts throughout, Figure 1 is a longitudinal central vertical section, from front to rear, of a helmet embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section on the line X X of Fig. 1.

A is a helmet, which may be made of any suitable material.

B is the sweat-band of the same.

C is a horizontal diaphragm dividing off a chamber, C', in the dome of the helmet.

D is a lamp within this chamber, provided with a burner, D', projecting through the top of the helmet. This lamp is adapted to contain oil of any kind and serves as a torch.

E E are vertical partitions attached to the sides of the lamp and top of the helmet and projecting downward near to the diaphragm C. The purpose of this vertical partition is to divide the receptacle into front and rear compartments having communication along their common floor.

F is a vertical exit flash-tube composed of wire-gauze located within the rear compartment and provided with a nozzle, F,projecting through the top of the helmet adjacent to the lamp-burner.

G is a filling of absorbent material-as sawdust, for example-adapted to hold hydrocarbon oils in suspension. The whole of the receptacle C is filled with this absorbent material. Y

H is a metallic blast-tube projecting into the front compartment of the receptacle and is provided with an open end terminating near the top of the helmet.

H is a flexible tube attached to the lower (No model.)

end of the tube H and to opposite sides of the helmet,y serving as a chiirstrap. It is provided at the part adjacent to the mouth of the wearer with an opening, 7L. j

The operation is as follows: Through the gauze tube F the absorbent material isallowed to take up hydrocarbon oil to its fullest capacity. The helmet is :then turned upside down andthe tube F is drained of its contents; The lamp D is then lled and lighted. VVheuever the wearer desires to produce a ash, he places his mouth to the opening h and blows therein. This oil produces a pressure on the top of the absorbent material and the gas from the hydrocarbon oil, together with air, will be forced out of the nozzle Fand ignited by flames from the lamp.

The vertical partition dividing the chamber C into compartments serves to force the air to enter the gauze tube F, near its bottom, after passing through the absorbent material. As the air when saturated with hydrocarbon oil or gas is heavier than air alone, there will be a stratum of commingled gas and air always on the bottom of the receptacle. This commingled air and gas is very inflammable; hence whenever a part of it is forced out of the exit-tube it will make a brilliant iiash of light. My helmet, therefore, combines the advantages of a common torch and a flash-torch.

It should be noted that the chamber or receptacle C may be used as a common oil-reservoir and the exit-tube F F' as a burner,and the helmet be used simply as a torch. The separate lamp, absorbent material, and iiashtube, however, greatly add to the effect and is my preferred construction.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is as follows:

1. The combination, with a helmet having a lamp and a closed chamber separate from said lamp, of a filling of absorbent material in said chamber adapted to hold light hydrocarbon oilsin suspension, an exit-tube from said chamber having its discharge end adjacent to the lamp'burner, and a blasttube terminating within said chamber and extending to within reach of the helmetwearers mouth, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with a helmet having a lamp attached thereto and an inclosed receptacle iu its dome divided into compartments IOO by a vertical partition stopping short of its bottom, of an exit-tube from one of said cornpartments having its discharge end adjacent to the lamp-burner, a blast-tube terminating near the top of the other compartment and provided with an extension to Within reach of the helmet-wearers mouth, and a filling of absorbent material within said receptacle adapted to hold hydrocarbon oils or their gases in suspension, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with a helmet having a lamp and a closed chamber separate from said lamp, ofa tubular chin-strap having an opening Within reach of the helmet-wearersmouth and provided with an extension termina-ting Within said closed chamber, an exit-tube from said chamber having its outlet adjacent to the lamp-burner, and a iilling of absorbent matcrial Within said chamber holding hydrocarbon oils in suspension, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the helmet A,hav

ing a receptacle in its dome with two compartments formed by the horizontal diaphragm C and the vertical portion E E', stopping short of the bottom, of the lamp D, having its body Within said receptacle and its burner D pro jecting through the top of the helmet, the perforated exit-tube F, starting from the bottom of one compartment and terminating outside the helmet adjacent to the lamp-burner, the rigid blast-tube H within .thc other compartment terminating near the top of the helmet, the iiexible tubular chin strap H', attached t0 the lower end of the tube H and provided with the opening h, and the absorbent material G Within said chamber adapted to hold hydrocarbon oils in suspension, substantially as'described.

5. A helmet having an inclosed chamber in its dome adapted to contain oil, and an exittube projecting through the top of the helmet adapted to serve as a burner, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day of March, 1888.

CHARLES B. ROCKVVOOD. in presence of- EMMA F. ELMORE, Jas. F. WILLIAMS. 

